1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reversing and adjustment mechanism, especially for use on a reversible plough with hydraulically controlled, adjustable furrow width and hydraulically controlled reversal of the plough. Such ploughs normally have from two to five pairs of ploughshare bodies rotatably attached to a frame which at the front end thereof is rotatably suspended from a reversing head adapted to be mounted on a tractor's three-point suspension. At the rear end of the frame, the reversible plough is provided with a depth wheel.
2. Background Art
Several drawbacks of the prior art reversible ploughs are associated with the reversing mechanism which pivots the plough frame 180.degree. for changing the direction of ploughing from the right to the left side of the tractor, or vice-versa. On the prior art reversible ploughs, the hydraulic system for the reversing mechanism and the hydraulic system for adjusting the furrow width are two separate systems. As a result, the plough is usually reversed with the ploughshares set at the furrow width one has been using. When the plough is set for a broad furrow width, great force is required for reversing the plough, since the plough's center of gravity lies far outside the axis of rotation. In addition, the plough's center of gravity is raised during the reversing operation, which makes the tractor less stable and increases the risk of overturning.
Of course, it is possible to activate the hydraulic system separately, adjusting the plough to the minimum furrow width before reversing the plough. In that case, the hydraulic system for controlling the furrow width must first be activated for pivoting the plough frame to the minimum width, then the hydraulic system for reversing the plough must be activated; and after the plough has been reversed, the hydraulic system for adjusting the furrow width must again be activated for returning the plough frame to the position it had prior to the reversal. This procedure for reversing the plough is obviously cumbersome; moreover, it is often difficult to adjust the plough to exactly the same furrow width as it had prior to the reversing operation.